dustyc

My wife and I have both been overweight for most of our adult lives. I'm type 2 diabetic, though it's controlled with diet. At diagnosis I was 365lbs with an A1C of 17. I kinda half assed for a year or and finally got serious a month ago. Current A1C is 9.4 and current average glucose reading for the last month (when I got serious) is 110 according to my meter. So I'm well on the way to the 5% club where I need to be by continuing on what I'm doing. I'm still about 70lbs (311-312) over weight according to my doctor and ~115 lbs over weight according to the nifty little chart my insurance company uses. They will pay for the surgery for both my wife and I, with a total out of pocket cost of 100 each. She is also in the same boat, about 75 lbs overweight according to the doc, and a bit over 100 according to the chart. We've both been victims of ourselves and weak diet willpower and yoyo'd up and down several times. I'm currently on a very good run of weight loss but it isn't the first time, and now that I can get surgery for next to nothing, I'm more open to it than I was when I'd be paying out of pocket. One of my wife's coworkers has had lapband and is very happy with her ongoing results. They however, are rather sedentary as they are 911 dispatchers and rarely get out of their chairs. I'm the total opposite, my primary job is as a firefighter/emt. I also drive a truck on my days off. My job as a firefighter, as you can imagine,is physically strenuous. Mostly short term, high strength activities. I can typically handle it without much of an issue, but after a bit, I'm just smoked. My concern is being unable to perform after surgery. I need the ability to go all out for a half hour. I can go light duty for a few weeks without issue, but I will need to have the ability back relatively soon. Is this going to be an issue? Also, what about staying hydrated? Is it difficult

One thing I should have added is that since we decided to do this together, I'm not doing it if she can't get it done as well. Our PCP has stated before that I'm a shoe in due to my hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Our insurance policy states that no weight loss surgeries are covered, but they then turn around and approve them. Once we pick a doctor, well knew more.